Research Demonstrates Massage Boosts Immune System and Reduces Stress Hormones
We all know that massage feels great, but what is it actually doing to you when you receive it, and how long do the effects last?
In a study in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, published by the National Institutes of Health, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine and Cedar-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles set out to measure stress response and immune response in a controlled study of Swedish Massage vs a protocol of light touch.
In the study, participants were assigned to receive either a weekly or twice-weekly Swedish Massage or light touch with the backs of the hands. The massage or light touch was performed by Certified Massage Therapists following the same protocol: in the prone position from shoulders down to feet, then in the supine position, from feet to shoulders over the course of 45 minutes.
From the study:
Compared to the touch control condition, weekly Swedish massage stimulated a sustained pattern of increased circulating phenotypic lymphocyte markers and decreased mitogen-stimulated cytokine production, similar to what was previously reported for a single massage session, while having minimal effect on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal function. Twice-weekly massage produced a different response pattern with increased OT levels, decreased AVP, and decreased CORT but little effect on circulating lymphocyte phenotypic markers and a slight increase in mitogen-stimulated interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1b and IL-2 levels, suggesting increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
You can read the entire study here.
The conclusion of the study is that there are profound and sustained biological changes that result from massage which suggest decreased stress and improved immune function. The challenge of this study, which the authors note, is that the small study size can tend to overinflate the results; they used only physically and mentally healthy individuals, which could limit the effects of the study. More good quality research is desperately needed in the field of massage therapy.
Still, the results of the study to tend to confirm other similar studies in the field, and can recommend massage as a healthy part of one’s self-care.